Swimming apparatus



May 19, 1964 A. N'LA'E 3,133,522

SWIMMING APPARATUS IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent O 3,133,522 SWIMMING APPARATUS Aristide Nicolaie,69 W. 89th St., New York 24, N.Y. Filed Oct. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 145,9393 Claims. (Cl. IIS-26.3)

My invention relates to swimming apparatus.

I have invented a newl type of swimming apparatus which when attached tothe wearer and used by him in bathing will enable the wearer to travelat a relatively high rate of speed through the water whether or not thewearer can swim.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide new swirnmingapparatus of the character indicated.l

Another object of my invention is to provide a new type of swimmingapparatus wherein the wearer provides the driving power for theapparatus.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a new type ofswimming apparatus wherein the Wearer operates the apparatus bypedalling the apparatus in a manner analogous to a bicycle.

These and other objects of my invention will either be explained or willbecome apparent hereinafter.

In my invention, a propeller is rotated or driven by a shaft which inturn is rotated in accordance with a pedalling operation. The shaft andpropeller are attached to the wearer in such manner that when the weareris in the Water, his pedalling action rotates the propeller and thewearer, depending upon the type of operation desired, travels forward orbackward in the water.

My invention will now be described in more detail with reference to theaccompanyng drawings. In the drawmgs:

FIGURE 1 is a side view showing the invention as attached to a wearerusing same while in water.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the swimming apparatus alone as worn by thewearer in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the FIGURES 1 and 2, a male bather partially immersedin water 12 supports swimming apparatus. The apparatus includes aVertical propeller 16 mounted within a protective frame 14. Propeller 16is rotated in a vertical plane as a generally horizontal flexibledriving shaft 18 secured to propeller 16 at frame 20 is rotated.

Frame 20 is held rigidly attached to the chest of the bather 10 bycrossed shoulder straps 22 and 24, belt 26, and leg straps 28 and 30.

A rigid hollow tube 32 carries the shaft 18. One end of the tube 32 ispivotally secured to belts 26 and 34. The other end of the tube 32 issecured to a gear frame 36. This frame 36 carries a bevelled drivinggear 38 which 'turns shaft 18. A wheel gear 40 engages and drives gear38. Gear 40 is rotated by pedals 42 rigidly secured thereto and operatedby the bather in the manner indicated in FIGURE 1.

Depending upon the pitch of the Propeller and the direction of pedalling(re clockwise or counter-clockwise) the bather can travel backward orforward in the water.

While I have shown and pointed out and described my invention as appliedin a preferred embodiment, many other modifications and variationswithin the scope and sphere of my invention will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art. I desire therefore, 'to be limited in my protectiononly by the terms of the claims which follow.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. Propelling apparatus to be attached to a swimmer, comprising aflexible harness, an elongated tubular frame connected at one end to theharness, pedals supported at the opposite end of the frame from theharness to be rotated by a swimmer, a fleXible shaft extending throughthe tubular frame operably connected to the pedals for rotation when thepedals are rotated, a second frame connected to the harness and spacedfrom the tubular frame, a propeller rotatably supported in the secondframe, and 'the propeller being connected to the end of the shaftopposite from the pedals and rotated by such shaft when the pedals arerotated, the second frame and the propeller being movable relative tothe tubular frame by movement of the body of a swimmer for steering.

2. Propelling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, and the second framehaving a screen guard encircling the propeller.

3. Propelling apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the harnessis comprised of a plurality of belts, and the end of the shaft connectedto the propeller is fiexible to provide movement of the second framerelative to the tubular frame moving the propeller to provide steering.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS222,951 Richardson Dec. 23, 1879 885,212 Young Apr. 21, 1908 1,342,619Bechtel June 8, 1920 1,732,679 Haby Oct. 22, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS585,646 Germany May 18, 1930 687,869 France Aug. 1, 1930 648,794 GreatBritain I an. 19, 1951

1. PROPELLING APPARATUS TO BE ATTACHED TO A SWIMMER, COMPRISING AFLEXIBLE HARNESS, AN ELONGATED TUBULAR FRAME CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THEHARNESS, PEDALS SUPPORTED AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE FRAME FROM THEHARNESS TO BE ROTATED BY A SWIMMER, A FLEXIBLE SHAFT EXTENDING THROUGHTHE TUBULAR FRAME OPERABLY CONNECTED TO THE PEDALS FOR ROTATION WHEN THEPEDALS ARE ROTATED, A SECOND FRAME CONNECTED TO THE HARNESS AND SPACEDFROM THE TUBULAR FRAME, A PROPELLER ROTATABLY SUPPORTED IN THE SECONDFRAME, AND THE PROPELLER BEING CONNECTED TO THE END OF THE SHAFTOPPOSITE FROM THE PEDALS AND ROTATED BY SUCH SHAFT WHEN THE PEDALS AREROTATED, THE SECOND FRAME AND THE PROPELLER BEING MOVABLE RELATIVE TOTHE TUBULAR FRAME BY MOVEMENT OF THE BODY OF A SWIMMER FOR STEERING.